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Temperature and conductivity in shock compressed bridgmanite up to
Phys. Rev. B 113, 134104 – Published 6 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gl5b-prf4
Abstract
The melting behavior and transport properties of at multi-megabar pressures remain poorly constrained despite their importance for high-pressure silicate physics. Here we report the first direct measurements of temperature and optical reflectivity in shock-compressed bridgmanite () using laser-driven decaying shock compression combined with velocimetry and optical pyrometry. Temperature and reflectivity data spanning approximately 4000–60 000 K were used to constrain the melting curve and to infer its electrical conductivity. We find that the melting curve becomes shallower than that of iron above 400 GPa, yielding lower melting temperatures in planetary mantles than predicted by several previous theoretical estimates. Across the solid-liquid transition, the inferred electrical conductivity increases significantly, reaching . These results provide experimental benchmarks for theoretical models of silicate melting and transport under extreme pressure-temperature conditions.
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Corrections
28 May, 2026
Correction: A typographical error in the units of an expression located in the text following Eq. (6) has been fixed.